Acts 13

1In the church at Antioch, there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (called Niger), Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had grown up with Herod the ruler), and Saul.

2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said: Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me. I have called them to do special work.

3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

4The Holy Spirit sent Barnabas and Saul on their way. They went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.

5When they arrived at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

6They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,

7Bar-Jesus was a close helper of the governor, Sergius Paulus. The governor was a smart man. He sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.

8But Elymas the sorcerer (that is what his name means) fought against them. He tried to turn the governor away from the faith.

9Then Saul, who was also called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked straight at Elymas

10And said: You are a child of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right. You are full of lies and tricks. Will you never stop twisting the right ways of the Lord?

11Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You will be blind for a while. You will not even be able to see the light of the sun. Right away, mist and darkness came over Elymas. He walked around trying to find someone to lead him by the hand.

12When the governor saw what had happened, he believed. He was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

13From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. There, John left them and went back to Jerusalem.

14From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down.

15After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them. They said: Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.

16Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and said: Fellow Israelites, and you non-Jewish people who worship God, listen to me!

17The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors. He made them do well while they were foreigners in Egypt. Then, with great power, He led them out of that country,

18And for about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness.

19He defeated seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to His people to keep.

20All this took about four hundred and fifty years. After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.

21Then the people asked for a king. God gave them Saul, son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin. Saul ruled for forty years.

22After removing Saul, God made David their king. God said about David: I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.

23From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior He promised — Jesus.

24Before Jesus came, John preached that all the people of Israel should turn from sin and be baptized.

25As John was finishing his work, he said: Who do you think I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is One coming after me. I am not good enough to untie His sandals.

26Fellow children of Abraham, and you non-Jewish people who worship God, this message of salvation has been sent to us.

27The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus. But by condemning Him, they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

28They found no real reason to put Jesus to death, but they still asked Pilate to have Him killed.

29When they had carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

30But God raised Him from the dead,

31For many days after that, He was seen by those who had traveled with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now His witnesses to our people.

32We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors

33God has fulfilled this promise for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: You are my Son. Today I have become your father.

34God raised Jesus from the dead so that His body would never rot. As God has said: I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.

35So it is also said in another place: You will not let Your Holy One see decay.

36When David had served God's purpose in his own lifetime, he died. He was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.

37But the One whom God raised from the dead did not decay.

38So, my friends, I want you to know this: through Jesus, the forgiveness of sins is announced to you.

39Through Him, everyone who believes is set free from every sin. This is something the law of Moses could never do for you.

40Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

41Look, you who mock! Be amazed, and then die, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.

42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath.

43When the meeting ended, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabas talked with them and urged them to continue trusting in the grace of God.

44On the next Sabbath, almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.

45When the Jews saw the crowds, they became jealous. They began to argue against what Paul was saying and insulted him.

46Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: We had to speak the word of God to you first. But you reject it. You do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life. So now we turn to the non-Jewish people.

47For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the non-Jewish people, so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

48When the non-Jewish people heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord. All who were chosen for eternal life believed.

49The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.

50But the Jewish leaders stirred up the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They caused trouble for Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their region.

51So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium.

52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.